Downtown of OC

<p>Geez. That's really low. We need not take it to that level. What's with the personal attack on the guy? </p>

<p> </p>
 
His comments are personal


That was my whole point





I suppose you need a roadmap to find your own butt


Yes, that too was personal





Doesn't feel so great, huh?


BTW, it's not personal or racist when it's funny or I use sarcasm.
 
<a href="../../../account/512/">S</a>,





Easy there, dude. It's way too easy to start throwing around the race card these days.





Let's be honest. Everyone makes generalizations about everyone, right? When people start screaming "racism", that's when we start devolving into a board with posters who can't say what they think.





I (not that my opinion matters) respect bk's posts...I don't necessarily agree with everything he (she?) says, but I seriously doubt racism is involved...





And so ends my postings in this thread. I think we've beaten this topic into the ground...





-OCR
 
<p>Hopia,</p>

<p>The only reason I hopped in was that your comment to acpme appeared sharper than necessary. I was trying to encourage disagreement without being disagreeable. </p>

<p><em>>>I felt it was important to respond to bkshopr's comments as they seemed to me to be somewhat bigoted</em></p>

<p>I felt the same way initially. Then someone else put it in context and I understood a little better. </p>

<p><em>>>I don't think calling Asian students "robots" and depicting Asian children as being "programmed" can be seen as constructive or funny in this context.</em></p>

<p>I concur, and I appreciate you pointing it out. In fact, there were two reasons I read right over it without noticing. One was because I'm used to reading BK's posts and it didn't make an impression. The second was because it fit with a situation a friend of mine faced in high school. He was (and is) very artistic. He is also of Japanese ancestry. His parents in no way wanted him to pursue the arts and he felt very conflicted when choosing a school after high school and what area of study he wanted to pursue. He wanted to follow his dreams and interests, but didn't want to "shame" or "disobey" his parents. He ended up going to college and obtaining a professional degree. Fortunately, the story has a happy ending, because he was able to merge his interest in art with something "respectable" and opened his own business, but he suffered greatly with the conflict for awhile.</p>

<p>[Side note to Irvine Commuter: many middle, upper middle and upper class white kids would not have cared about their parents' wishes and followed their dreams. Lack of respect and talking back to elders, is, unfortunately, an American standard - at least among the white folk post 1960.]</p>

<p>All that said, I do agree with you that the thought could have been expressed in less inflammatory language.</p>

<p><em>>>then people like me should also have the right to share what we think about such comments</em></p>

<p>Absolutely. I didn't think that either apcme or I were trying to stop you from doing so, but suggesting that you get the background first, that's all.</p>

<p><em>>>Perhaps I should have started another thread and not hijacked this one (and I apologize for that),</em> </p>

<p>No apologies needed. Thread hijack happens all the time. </p>

<p> </p>
 
<p>Political Correctness is the new McCarthyism; just as good-intentioned and just as stupid.</p>

<p>Making broad generalizations is basic human nature, the basis for modern advertising, and the thing that makes most jokes funny. The thing you are getting so righteously indignant about is the same thing that you use to choose your friends, your politics, and even where to live. Humans beings make snap judgements every day based on generalizations, and only take the time to reassess those judgements when circumstances require it. I think it is incredibly ignorant to think that the color of a person's skin predetermines that person's worth as a human being, and yet as a white man it would be foolish for me to go for a walk through the middle of Compton at 3AM on a Friday night. Does that judgement make me a racist? If you think it does, then you need to review your understanding of the concept. If I state in public that it is a foolish idea for a white person to walk through a predominantly black neighborhood late at night, does that make me a racist? Again, if you think it does then you really need to review the concept.</p>

<p>It would be racist for me to say that all black people in Compton want to kill white people. I doubt few, if any, actually feel that way but that would qualify as a racist statement. Saying that crime in Compton is mostly committed by black people isn't racist either. I'm sure most of the crime in Boise, Idaho is committed by white people. Which brings me back to my point: bkshopr isn't a racist. He's a paid analyst with years of experience observing a large demographic. Ten minutes of reading would have taught you that. Another ten would have also taught you that his posts here are all couched in his professional experience, as opposed to the assumption that he hates asians or holds some negative opinion of them based on ignorant racial prejudice.</p>

<p>Look, there are real racists out there. They shave their heads and pound their chests and spout all manner of hate against those they think are less than human. Save your anger for them. Getting riled up about bk's admittedly stilted use of terms isn't just a waste of time, it's completely misguided. He's not trying to harm anyone, nor oppress them. He's simply relating facts and observations, and sharing his judgement with us.</p>
 
I appreciate your kind words Reason and other fellow members. I hope there are more of readers like you who understand my point of view. Asian students are indeed programmed to study hard and follow orders. The word "robot" is the loss of free will and personality. The parents who put so much pressure on kids to succeed academically suppress their social interaction as kids. They are trying to make their parent happy being a 4.0 GPA and 3.5 is just not good enough.



I have interacted with children who are literally “programmed” by their parent meet the daily regiment by starting with school, tutoring seminars, piano and violin lessons and native language lessons by night time. This routine occurred day after day and years after years. Basic skill for piano is not good enough but level 10 state testing standards is considered good. Kids are not allowed to talk back or voice their opinions. Asian kids learned to be listener instead of talker. They are afraid to speak up or join the school theater drama team, forensic debates, and other vocal oriented activities.



They are programmed to suppress their emotions and avoid confrontations. I feel bad for the kids whom I interviewed. For those I have offended I apologize. For those who are parents I hope to bring awareness to this forum that generation gap started early for your children and there are still time to fix it.



I am not a racist because I am a 1.5 generation Asian who grew up in the barrios caught between Asian and Latino gangs. You can only name calling "racist" if the remark came from a different nationality.



I go back to my root to counsel other disadvantage Asian kids from Chinatown, Lincoln Heights, Echo Parks, Cypress Park, and Highland parks whom their parents were so strict that they ran away and joined gangs just to despise their parents. They are seeking their "family" from gangs because their real family is regimented like a military with strict rules and order.



By the way another member “S” who just created an account just to post should really just use your normal identity.
 
<p>>>So, I suppose the generalization that California Whites are on their 3rd divorce, newer model in car and wife,


all White women get boob jobs and their kids own 2 ipods a piece?


</p>

<p>If those are the facts, those are the facts. Wouldn't bother me a bit, whether I fit the trend or not. I recall being on a train on Java many, many years ago and a newly met "friend" who offered to show me around my destination started putting the moves on thinking all American women were easy because of "90210." I disabused him of that notion - that a TV drama wasn't representative of all America. When all was said, I wasn't angry at him; I was annoyed that the show gave him that impression.</p>
 
<p>BK,





How do you explain to yourself the Virginia Tech Massacre committed by an Asian?





Asians are not known as serial killers or mass murderers and this guy broke the mold in 1,000 pieces.








</p>
 
<p>Geez what was this topic on again? I just skipped over the last 30 or so comments because I started having dejavu. </p>

<p>Oh yeah <a href="http://www.santaanahistory.com/postcards/14031091.jpg">Santa Ana as a downtown</a>. It was always supposed to be the "downtown" and I had an interesting coversation with momo about this last night. </p>

<p>My mom grew up in Santa Ana in a house on the 1200 block of Broadway. Back then they didn't lock their doors at night. </p>
 
On a smaller scale, this thread reminds me of the backlash from the African American community toward Bill Cosby when he pointed out many things that while maybe hard to hear, carried a lot of truths.



FWIW bkshpr, my 1.5 generation Taiwanese wife finds your posts hilarious at times -- and full of many truths, if not about herself about someone she knows. Her comment to all this was along the lines of "if you can't laugh at yourself...."
 
I'm Asian and my wife is Asian and BK's comments about Asians are right on and we laugh about it and aren't offended. I like his perspective on things. Let's not be overly sensitive.
 
I would like to address Cho’s killings at Virginia Tech since this thread has been high jacked already. The Asian kids that I counseled shared a very similar introverted nature. Their personalities were suppressed by their parents that they held too much pain within themselves. Being unable to express and relieving anger these kids resorted to other outlets like local neighborhood vandalisms. Some enjoyed gruesome and bloody video games to release their anger. None is outgoing or out spoken. All blamed their parents for being overbearing. Cho also fell into this personality trait.



Kids are taught to behave and follow the dream of the parents. Being an art or social science major is completely out of the picture. They must follow the order set by their parent like a “robot” being “programmed” to do follow procedures and rules of conduct. Rarely do I see parents sitting down with their kids and work on a craft project together as family in promoting connection and interaction. Cho’s video tape and testimonies of his school acquaintance indicated a very introverted young man full of suppressed anger who lacks the skill to conduct himself in a real social setting.



What I have mentioned is no different from some of the Chinese kids that I have witnessed over the years. Communication and freedom to express oneself is really important for a healthy mental life. I have been going to dim sum every week at Monterey Park for the last 7 years or locally here in Irvine. Not once have I seen teenagers or older kids engaged in a conversation with their parents. Parents read newspaper or gossip magazines while the kids are glued to their electronic gadgets or reading a book.



The incident of Virginia Tech is an unfortunate event. It is a severe case of suppressed anger that may have lead to his mental illness. The lack of friendship further isolated him from society. He is too similar to some of the Asian kids that I counseled who think that he is cool for revenging against the society who alienated him.




 
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